Chargers blanked by Northwood

Thursday

Apr 11, 2013 at 10:00 AM

By Ed Patino

ed.patino@hillsdale.netHILLSDALE — While both teams had to battle the elements, the Hillsdale College baseball team was also hurt by missed opportunities.The Chargers were unable to get their bats going at the right time Wednesday in a 1-0 loss to the Northwood University Timberwolves in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game at Simpson Field.The teams were originally scheduled to play a doubleheader, but the second game was suspended due to heavy rain in the area. Hillsdale held a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when the game was suspended. It will resume play April 17 at Northwood before the teams play their scheduled nine-inning game to complete their three-game season series.The game was delayed 1 hour, 15 minutes due to rain.Hillsdale (12-16, 5-10 GLIAC) got strong pitching from Kris Morris, who held the Timberwolves to just three hits while doing the distance. However, the Chargers were unable to solve Jordan Snider, who also went the distance on the mound for Northwood (10-14, 5-8 GLIAC). Snider held the Chargers to two hits in the game and struck out six.The lone run came in the top of the fifth inning when Eric Altman drove in Travis Smith with a RBI double. Hillsdale had a chance to answer in the bottom of the sixth inning when Luke Ortel and Michael O'Sullivan reached base with one out on Northwood fielding errors. However, Snider worked out of the jam to strand the runners, then the Chargers went down in order in the bottom of the seventh.Hillsdale had another prime chance to take control of the game in the first inning. Ortel and O'Sullivan led off the game with hits, however both were picked off by Snider, ending the threat.Ortel and O'Sullivan both went 1-for-3 to lead the Chargers. Morris recorded three strikeouts in the contest.Smith finished 2-for-3 with a run scored to lead the Timberwolves. Altman was 1-for-2 with his RBI.The Chargers are scheduled to play a three-game GLIAC series at home this weekend against Wayne State. A doubleheader will take place Saturday, and a nine-inning game will wrap up the series Sunday afternoon.